Comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea in children: a preliminary explorative study.

Insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are prevalent sleep disorders. These disorders can therefore be concurrently present - comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA). The prevalence of COMISA in the paediatric age range is unclear. As such, phenotypic constructs should help better define this comorbid condition if it exists in children and improve both diagnostic sensitivity and ultimately clinical care outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of insomnia in children and adolescents referred for evaluation of sleep symptoms suggestive of SDB in one initial (Cohort#1) and verify such findings in an independent cohort (Cohort#2) using a retrospective cross-sectional approach in patients aged 9-19 years presenting at a sleep centre to be evaluated for symptoms of SDB. Cohort #1 comprised 50 consecutive children (58% males; mean [SD] age 13.6 [3.3] years; median [interquartile range, IQR] Epworth Sleepiness Scale score 10 [6-12]) who were evaluated using validated SDB and insomnia questionnaires. Cohort#2 was extracted from electronic medical records and included 384 polysomnographically evaluated children (mean [SD] age 12.9 [3.6] years; mean [SD] body mass index z score 1.27 [0.28]; median Epworth Sleepiness Scale score 9.7 [4-17]). In Cohort #1, 56% were at high risk of SDB, 36% had insomnia alone, and 18% were at high risk of COMISA. The prevalence of COMISA in Cohort #2 was 16%, 72% had SDB alone, and 12% had insomnia alone. In both cohorts, COMISA manifested as increased propensity for sleepiness and fatigue during both waking and daytime. Thus, the presence of COMISA is frequent in the paediatric age range and accompanied by a more prominent symptomatic phenotype.

Allergic rhinitis and sleep disorders in children - coexistence and reciprocal interactions.

OBJECTIVE: To review, critically analyze and synthesize knowledge from the international literature regarding the association between allergic rhinitis (AR) and sleep disorders, the impact of AR treatment on children's sleep, and lay the foundation for future research on this topic. SOURCE OF DATA: A literature search using PubMed database including original and review articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses using keywords related to AR, sleep disorders and sleep-disordered breathing. SYNTHESIS OF DATA: Sleep is fundamental to health, and its assessment and control of conditions that trigger or aggravate disturbances are of the uttermost importance. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is common in children and may interfere with both their quality of life and quality of sleep. It has emerged as one of the most important risk factors for habitual snoring in children and appeared to increase the risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), with AR severity exhibiting a significant and independent association with pediatric OSA severity. However, in some studies, those associations between AR and OSA in children are not very consistent. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial level of controversy exists regarding the interactions between AR and OSA in children. Notwithstanding, identifying and treating AR in clinical settings is probably an important step toward improving symptoms and preventing deterioration of sleep quality in children and may improve the severity of underlying OSA. Considering the high prevalence, morbidity, economic and social implications of both AR and sleep problems, it is crucial that healthcare providers improve their understanding of the relationships between those conditions among children.

Prevalence of recurrent wheezing during the first year of life in Setúbal district, Portugal

Background: Recurrent wheezing during the first year of life is a major cause of respiratory morbidity worldwide, yet there are no studies on its prevalence in Portugal. Objective: Determine the prevalence and severity of recurrent wheezing, treatments employed and other related aspects, in infants during their first year of life in Setúbal, Portugal. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of a random sample of infants aged 12-15 months living in Setúbal district. It uses a validated questionnaire answered by parents/caregivers at local healthcare facilities where infants attend for growth/development monitoring and/or vaccine administration. Results: Among the 202 infants surveyed, 44.6% (95% CI 37.7-51.4) had at least one episode of wheezing; and 18.3% (95% CI 12.9-23.6) had recurrent wheezing. There was significant morbidity associated to recurrent wheezing in terms of severe episodes (17.3%-95% CI 12-22.5), visits to the emergency department (26.2%-95% CI 20.1-32.2) and hospital admissions (5.4%-95% CI 2.2-8.5); 10.4% (95% CI 6.1-14.6) used inhaled corticosteroids and 7.9% (95% CI 4.1-11.6) used a leukotriene receptor antagonist. Conclusions: The prevalence of recurrent wheezing in infants during the first year of life is high and is associated with significant morbidity, presenting as a relevant public health problem. An important proportion of infants’ progress with a more severe condition, resulting in high use of health resources (visits to emergency department and hospitalisations). The prevalence of recurrent wheezing in this district of Portugal stays between those related in other European and Latin American Centres, suggesting that maybe some of the well-known risk factors are shared with affluent countries

No disponible

Prevalence of recurrent wheezing during the first year of life in Setúbal district, Portugal.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent wheezing during the first year of life is a major cause of respiratory morbidity worldwide, yet there are no studies on its prevalence in Portugal. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence and severity of recurrent wheezing, treatments employed and other related aspects, in infants during their first year of life in Setúbal, Portugal. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of a random sample of infants aged 12-15 months living in Setúbal district. It uses a validated questionnaire answered by parents/caregivers at local healthcare facilities where infants attend for growth/development monitoring and/or vaccine administration. RESULTS: Among the 202 infants surveyed, 44.6% (95% CI 37.7-51.4) had at least one episode of wheezing; and 18.3% (95% CI 12.9-23.6) had recurrent wheezing. There was significant morbidity associated to recurrent wheezing in terms of severe episodes (17.3%-95% CI 12-22.5), visits to the emergency department (26.2%-95% CI 20.1-32.2) and hospital admissions (5.4%-95% CI 2.2-8.5); 10.4% (95% CI 6.1-14.6) used inhaled corticosteroids and 7.9% (95% CI 4.1-11.6) used a leukotriene receptor antagonist. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of recurrent wheezing in infants during the first year of life is high and is associated with significant morbidity, presenting as a relevant public health problem. An important proportion of infants' progress with a more severe condition, resulting in high use of health resources (visits to emergency department and hospitalisations). The prevalence of recurrent wheezing in this district of Portugal stays between those related in other European and Latin American Centres, suggesting that maybe some of the well-known risk factors are shared with affluent countries.

[Respiratory syncytial virus -- associated lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized infants]. / Infecções do trato respiratório inferior pelo vírus sincicial respiratório em crianças hospitalizadas menores de um ano de idade.

For analysis of clinical features and outcome of hospitalized infants with respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection, was carried out. Cross-sectional study with 89 infants, hospitalized in two public hospitals during the 1997 and 1998 RSV seasons, in Rio de Janeiro city. Nasopharyngeal secretions were obtained and specimens processed for viral antigens detection by indirect immunofluorescence assay with the use of anti RSV, anti-influenza A and B and anti parainfluenza type 3 monoclonal antibodies. Patients were allocated into three diagnostic groups: bronchiolitis or wheeze bronchitis (n = 44); Pneumonia (n = 26) and bronchiolitis or wheeze bronchitis and pneumonia (n = 19). Positivity for RSV was found in 42 (47.1%) patients. More days of hospitalization were seen in 1997 in comparison with the follow year (p >0.05). No clinical differences were found between RSV positive and negative children. The sensitivity and specificity for wheezing concerning the isolation of RSV were, respectively, 85% and 65%. RSV was the major cause of LRTI in hospitalized infants.

Infecções do trato respiratório inferior pelo vírus sincicial respiratório em crianças hospitalizadas menores de um ano de idade / Respiratory syncytial vírus - associated lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized infants

Analisou-se características clínicas e evolutivas em crianças menores de um ano internadas com infecção do trato respiratório inferior por vírus sincicial respiratório (VSR). Feito estudo transversal com 89 lactentes hospitalizados durante as épocas de maior incidência do VSR, em 1997 e 1998, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Foram pesquisados antígenos virais, nas secreções de nasofaringe, com anticorpos monoclonais anti-VSR, antiinfluenza A e B e antiparainfluenza tipo 3, por ensaio de imunofluorescência indireta. Formaram-se três grupos: bronquiolite ou bronquite sibilante (n=44), pneumonia (n=26) e bronquiolite e pneumonia (n=19). Houve positividade para o VSR em 42 (47,1 por cento) pacientes. Em 1997 a média de dias de oxigenoterapia foi de 5,2 e em 1998, de 2,5 dias (p> 0,05). Não houve diferença de apresentação clínica entre os lactentes que apresentaram positividade para o VSR e aqueles cujo resultado foi negativo. A sensibilidade e especificidade da sibilância em relação ao isolamento de VSR foram 85 por cento e 65 por cento, respectivamente. O VSR foi o principal causador de infeções do trato respiratório inferior em lactentes que necessitaram de hospitalização.

Fístula broncovascular - complicação de cateter venoso central percutâneo em neonato / Bronchovascular fistula - complication of percutaneous central venous catheter in a neonate

Objetivos: relatar um caso em que ocorreu falso trajeto decateter venoso central, com fístula vásculo-pulmonar e graves conseqüências respiratórias correlatas em recém-nascido.Revisar a literatura sobre as complicações respiratórias e não respiratórias relacionadas à introdução de cateteres venosos centrais percutâneosem crianças. Descrição: dados clínicos evolutivos e diagnósticos foram obtidos após revisão do prontuário. O recém-nascido prematuro permaneceu em UTI neonatal após o parto para tratamento de doença da membrana hialina leve e de infecção manifestada posteriormente. No dia seguinte à introdução percutânea do cateter central, para aadministração de nutrição parenteral, iniciou desconforto respiratório que progrediu rapidamente. Necessitou de ventilação mecânica para estabelecer troca gasosa adequada. A verificação da trajetória do cateter com o auxílio de contraste radiológico revelou a presença da complicação.Comentários: não são raras as complicações decorrentes da inserção de cateteres centrais, sendo a infecção a mais comum. + importante que os profissionais responsáveis pelos cuidados desses pacientes conheçam as várias outras complicações menos frequentes, como a trombose vascular e a migração do cateter, com lesões deórgãos e coleções extravasculares de líquidos. Em recém-nascidos,existe apenas um único relato de complicação semelhante à verifica-da em nosso paciente. Sua raridade pode ter determinado dificulda-des para o diagnóstico imediato. São enfatizados os aspectos relacio-nados aos cuidados, após a introdução destes cateteres, que poderi-am facilitar o reconhecimento precoce destas complicações

[Bronchovascular fistula--complication of percutaneous central venous catheter in a neonate]. / Fístula broncovascular--complicação de cateter venoso central percutâneo em neonato.

OBJECTIVES: To present a case of central venous line misplacement with vasculo-pulmonary fistula and severe respiratory consequences in a newborn. To review the literature concerning respiratory and non-respiratory complications related to the introduction of percutaneously placed central venous lines in children. REPORT: Evaluative and diagnostic data were described after patient chart review. A premature newborn was admitted in a NICU after delivery for treatment of low-grade hyaline membrane disease and infection manifested afterwards. In the day after the introduction of the percutaneously placed central venous catheter, in order to provide parenteral nutrition, respiratory distress began with rapid progression. Mechanical ventilation was demanded to establish proper gas exchange. The complication was revealed after checking the catheter course using radiographic contrast. COMMENTS: Complications associated with central venous catheter insertion are not rare and infection is the most frequent one. It is essential that the caretakers be aware of the many less frequent ones like vascular thrombosis and catheter misplacement with organ injury and extravascular fluids collections. Only one description related to this kind of complication verified in our patient was found in newborns. This singular characteristic may have resulted in embarrassment for rapid diagnosis. Care related aspects, after catheter insertion, that could make easier the prompt recognition of these complications are emphasized.